A Light in the Dark
by Leradomi
Summary: After Batman's death, the Wayne clan attempts to rally together and help each other - especially Tim, who's already lost so much. In a moment of desperation, Dick calls Jason back home, hoping he can help heal Tim, but also hoping Jason will heal as well. Brotherly fluff.
1. Chapter 1

A Light in the Dark

This takes place after Bruce/Batman has died and Battle for the Cowl hasn't happen (nor will happen really). Some things are AU in the timeline but most everything is together.

After Batman's death the Wayne clan need to rally together to help each other, especially Tim who has lost so much. Dick calls upon Jason to join them in helping them heal Tim and in hopes that Jason can heal too. Brotherly fluff. Hurt/Comfort/Angst

THANK YOU to my beta AlexSkywalker!

Prologue/Chapter 1

It was a typical night in Gotham: dark, cold and dank. Jason Todd stood atop a rooftop looking out over the city as he turned his jacket collar up to the cold. He was without his signature red helmet tonight, wearing only a domino mask. Hoodlums feared the Red Hood with or without the red helmet; However, with the cold air nipping at his face, Jason was regretting his decision to forgo it.

Looking out over the skyline he saw his reason for running tonight. He was keeping his distance from his pursuer, the one little assassin Damian Wayne. Jason was amazed that the little one was out on his own and couldn't help thinking they really needed to get that kid a costume instead the grey leotard he was currently wearing. Jason had been back in the country all of 4 hours before the bird started looking for him again. Before he had left the country on some "business" all of the birds had been looking for him. Jason pondered what he had done this time to regain their attention.

Speaking of the birds, Jason hadn't seen the Bat in a while. Why were the birds suddenly out on their own? Where was the Bat? As he was mulling this over he heard the soft landing of small feet. Shit, Damian had doubled back and found him. Jason cursed himself for getting lost in his thoughts and not keeping an eye out for the little one as he turned around to face Damian.

"So….ya found me. Well done. Now what do you want?" Jason growled getting straight to the point.

"You need to see Grayson at the cave." Damian stated matching Jason's lack of pleasantries.

"And why would I do that? Is that why you guys have been looking for me? Nightwing, Robin and the shortest assassin in the world."

"You have been difficult to find as of late."

"I've been busy Demon Spawn."

"You were completely off the radar for an entire week."

"I was out of the country if you must know short shit from hell. Now what. Do. You. Want."

"I believe I made that clear, you need to see Grayson at the cave. The security codes have been changed to Alpha 3 protocol. That should be easy enough for you to get in without trouble."

"Look little devil why didn't the big bad Bat come and ask me himself? Where has he been lately? I am going no where near that cave with Daddy Bats there you should know that, you genetic mutant." Jason noticed that Damian wasn't rising to the bait or responding to the taunts that usually riled the child up.

Damian tilted his head looking at Jason puzzled. "Tt. You don't know do you?"

"Know what?" Jason asked suspiciously. Something was wrong. Did something happen to Bruce? Did something happen to the Replacement? Jason's thoughts were scrambling in his head to make some sense over whether he cared or not, but either way, he still had a front to keep up. Damian's glare caused Jason to turn away at look back out at the city.

Finally Damian spoke again; "We thought that you were just being…well…you."

"What's that supposed to mean."

"The ass that we all know you can be. But you don't know. That's tragic. You really should go see Grayson at the cave now. Dick needs you. He was doing so well at first…but now…he's just falling apart."

"Over what?" Jason asked. He whipped around and found himself met with an empty rooftop. 'He's gotten good at that.' Jason thought.

Jason tried to pick apart which person was really in trouble or needed help; his estranged adoptive father, his golden boy older brother, or the Replacement that Jason had grown to have some respect for. The way Damian spoke… he hadn't been there to fight, hadn't been there to argue. He was being genuine in his request for Jason to come to the cave. Curiosity piqued and with nothing else to do for the night, The Red Hood headed for the one place he swore to never return to: the Batcave.


	2. Chapter 2

A Light in the Dark

Again a big thank you to my beta Alex Skywalker!

Following and putting the story as a favorite are nice and I appreciate it but I would love some reviews. Why did you follow or favorite the story? What about it did you like? Was there anything I can improve on?

Chapter 2

Jason parked his bike far away from the Wayne Manor Bat-cave entrance and chose to hike on foot the rest of the way to the cave. The time walking gives him time to clear his head from all the possibilities of what in the hell is going on. When he finally reached the cave entrance he entered the security codes for the protocol that Damian had given him. The old door, made to look like part of the mountain, slowly slid open, complete with the groans and creaks straight from some cheap horror movie. Jason made no attempt to hide his entrance knowing full well that he was expected. As Jason rounded the last curve of the entryway he was greeted by the sight of none other than Dick Grayson, currently Nightwing, since he was in costume, sitting at the giant computer. His body was all lax in the giant computer chair and he was leaning to the left, with half of his head propped up in his left hand which rested on the arm of the computer chair. Though Nightwing's back was to Jason, he could see Nightwing's mask resting on the computer desk. Jason could tell the older man was awake by the subtle movements he was making in the chair and, with his training, could obviously hear Jason approaching, so why wasn't he acknowledging Jason's presence? Jason approached Nightwing's left side and saw that Dick was indeed awake.

"Dick?" Jason questioned. He was shocked to see Nightwing suddenly sit straight up in the chair. Jason had surprised him, not an easy thing to do by any means. This only made Jason's head fill with more dreadful thoughts if Nightwing himself could be taken by surprise- in the bat-cave of all places.

"Jason." Dick said. "Damian found you. I'm so glad you came." Dick slowly stood up and walked to Jason. The shadows were playing with Dick's face as he kept it down like he was hiding something. Were those tear tracks on Dick's face?

"Wanna tell me why I'm here? Demon spawn didn't say much."

"Umm….well….I'm..umm…..not quite sure…how to…" Dick stumbled as he kept his head down and played with the blue fingerstripes on his suit. Dick bit his bottom lip, an obvious sign that he was trying to keep himself from crying. Enough was enough. Jason couldn't stand not knowing what was tearing apart one of the strongest men he knew. Jason purposefully walked up to Dick and grabbed the man's shoulders strongly, causing Dick to look at him in shock. There Jason could see it: the dark circles under Dick's eyes. The red face highlighted by several tears that had previously fallen. The sunken in cheeks that said he hadn't been eating properly. The shock in the eyes that knew if he had to say it one more time he would fall apart. But Jason couldn't spare him; he had to know what had happened.

"Dick, what's going on?"

"Bruce is dead." Dick said it suddenly and quickly as if that would help, but it didn't.

Jason let go of Dick's shoulders in shock and Dick's eyes filled up with tears once more. Jason turned away. He wasn't ready for Dick to see the shock and pain on his own face. Jason had run by the possibility of Bruce's death several times on the way here but always tossed it away. It had always seemed that Batman…that Bruce was immortal. But, Jason knew that what Dick said had to be true. The state of Dick's emotions left no room for lies or jokes. Bruce was dead. There would be no more attempts at reconciliation. No more attempts at closure. No more….what was it they had anyways?

"You're sure? Jason asked still turned away from Dick. He had to ask, even though he knew the answer. The how and why of what happened could wait until both men were in better control of their emotions.

"Yes. Superman brought in the body. We buried him. Bruce…however …well…we had to maintain the charade for security reasons. We tried to find you Jason, to tell you. We tried to find you in time for the private funeral." Dick kept his eyes locked on Jason waiting for some sign on how Jason was going to take this. Jason gave him nothing but his back and a raised hand halting Dick's speech. The tears came too fast for Dick to suppress them any longer and a sob broke through.

At the sound of the sob Jason turned to Dick. Jason was unsure of how to talk to Dick about this. Jason's relationship with Bruce was so different than Dick's. Jason never wanted Bruce dead; that was a fact. True, he fought Bruce, but never once did he go for a killing blow. Even with the big confrontation between him, Bruce and Joker, Jason had made it so Bruce would have to kill him and not the other way around. Jason's relationship with Dick, though, was different. Through his ups and downs with the family Jason had fought Tim, even fought Damian, but no matter how many times Jason tried to rattle Dick or tried to get him to fight, Dick would never do it. It was like if he went to Jason's level then he had given up on him. That was something that was always clear to Jason, that Dick would never give up on him. So now Jason knew he had to do the same for Dick and not give up on him….he had to be there for Dick no matter how hard it was for him.

Since Jason's resurrection there had been good times and bad times between him and his family. And though this was quite obviously a bad time that the family was going through, Jason felt that he could turn it into a good time – or at least an okay time. Maybe he could finally have an 'okay' time with hios family. But, something still stirred beneath that. Jealousy, anger- years' worth of both that weren't so easily squashed in a second. However, Jason made every attempt to push those feelings down as he couldn't stand to see Dick cry.

Jason slowly walked to the now sobbing man and rested a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. Though he was determined to help Dick he was still very unsure as to how to go about it.

"How is everyone else taking it?" He asked.

"Well…Damian…..he's a bit wise beyond his years and isn't the greatest with emotions-"

"He's his father's son." Jason said and Dick nodded and chuckled through a sob at that.

"He puts everything concerning all this logically. He said that, given Bruce's lifestyle, that this was bound to be the way that he would go and he had an honorable death fighting for what he believed in. Alfred is Alfred; he hasn't stopped working, but you can tell he's hurting. He is just dealing with it by keeping Bruce's legacy alive- making sure his boys are all ok. And me….. I'm okay." When Dick said that last part Jason glared at him. This was okay for Dick? Jason would have to get a mirror and hold it up to Dick sometime. But, before Jason could comment, Dick continued.

"It's Tim I'm worried about. He's a bit more closed off. Not really talking or saying anything. He thinks I'm not aware of what he is doing but I am."

"And what is he doing?" Jason asked. Was that concern for the replacement Jason felt rising up? The jealousy and hurt feelings of being replaced came right alongside the concern for Tim and Jason had trouble pushing back the right feeling.

"He acts like he is sleeping fine, but he's not. I can hear his nightmares, yet when I go to him he insists he's fine. Stubbing his toe on the bed frame is his most popular excuse. He acts like he's eating fine but I can see him losing weight that he just can't afford to lose. He's already skinny as it is. Damian said he heard him throwing up after dinner once. Tim denied it, which led to World War 3 in the house. Luckily most of the major criminal players in Gotham are currently locked up which gives us some time to figure out patrol and how Batman will live on in Gotham, being as that only we and the League know about his death. But how are you? Ya know…with this?"

"It's a shock. After Damian's visit I knew something was up. I considered that this was a possibility but…I don't know. I don't think it's really sunk in yet."

Dick nodded "I was that way at first too."

"How are you doing?"

"I told you I'm fine."

"Yah right."

"Jason, I'm good."

"Bullshit. You're crying, you look like you could crumble any second. Do you realize how easy it was for me to sneak up on you, in the bat-cave of all places? Are you okay because you have to be? Because there's no other option? I have a feeling that the reason you called me here wasn't just to tell me 'Bruce is dead, go have a nice day'."

"Ok…I need help."

"No shit."

"I mean….well….I don't need help….not with me, I mean…I need help with Tim, with things, with Gotham. Tim has lost so much. His parents, three of his best friends, Stephanie, Bart and Conner. Losing Bruce was just the straw that broke the camel's back. Tim needs more help than just what I can give him. He needs the whole family. He needs to have a family."

Jason nodded his head in agreement, though also knowing Dick needed help too. "I had heard about his friends. I had heard that he and Conner were…in a relationship?"

"I had heard that too, though Tim would never tell me yes or no about it."

"So you need me, of all people, to help the replacement?"

"I need you to help complete the family. I need you here."

Jason drew in a shuddering breath. Losing Bruce and now having the opportunity to be back in the family….. He was actually considering Dick's offer and Bruce wasn't even here to see it…or be a part of it. Jason drew in another shuddering breath as the sting of hot tears met his eyes. He turned his head to the side, clenched his fists, and grimaced, keeping his lips tight together in fear that, should they open, a sob would break forth. He would not lose it. He would not cry in front of Dick.

"Jason…it's ok." Dick was aware of what Jason was doing. "It's a lot to take in. I understand if you can't do it right now."

"I'll stay on one condition."

"Name it." Dick said, shocked Jason was considering staying.

"Admit you aren't dealing well with this either. Admit you are part of what needs help too."

"I'm….fine." Dick said and another silent traitorous tear rolled down his face, branding him as a liar.

Jason walked back to Dick and pulled him into an embrace and just….held him. Dick felt a drop of wetness on the side of his face that Jason was pressed to. Dick had done it. He had gotten Jason back. If only Bruce was here to enjoy it. That thought put Dick back over the edge and he started sobbing again. As his sobs became vocal Jason just held on tighter. Jason wasn't going to let go until he knew he could help Dick get through tonight. Jason tried to convince himself he could do this, even if it was one small step at a time.

First step: Get Dick to admit he needed help too.


	3. Chapter 3

A Light in the Dark

Another big thank you to my beta Alex Skywalker!

Chapter 3

As Jason held Dick to him he tried to figure out just how to help Dick first. He knew that if he could help Dick then maybe sticking around to help the others wouldn't be so bad.

"So am I staying or going?" Jason asked, though he already had it clearly in his head that he would stay and help Dick, whether he admitted it or not.

"What?" Dick asked lost in the new found brotherhood Jason was being so accepting of.

"How. Are. You? I know you. " Jason let go yet still held on to Dick's shoulder to get a good look at his face as he continued. "You are probably trying to keep both Gotham and Bludhaven under control. Keep your job at the Bludhaven P.D., keep the Bruce-is-still-alive charade up, which involves meetings at Wayne Enterprises, and of course keeping the house and its occupants in order. Any one of those things could be too much for one person. And you, Golden Boy, probably thought you could do it all at once. News flash: you can't. Even short shit notices you can't."

"It ….has been difficult."

"That's all I needed to hear, Dick." Jason saw Dick faintly smile. "Besides if I have to go through and show mushy shit over this then so do you."

"I don't know what to do next." Dick said, ignoring Jason's last comment, as he walked back to the computer chair and flopped into it. Jason followed close behind. "Hell I don't know what to do now. I don't know what to do after next I …..I just…..don't know." Dick put his face in his hands and openly sobbed. Jason watched Dick fall apart again, inwardly begging for some way to handle this.

"When was the last time you ate?" He finally asked.

"Huh?"

"And slept."

"That's not what I mean; I'm talking about Gotham and Wayne Enterprises and-"

"I know what you meant but how can you do any of this if you aren't eating and sleeping? Because you clearly aren't. Throw me a bone here; how do you expect me to help Tim if I can't even help you admit you aren't taking care of yourself."

Dick knew he was beat. "It's like I can't even remember to do it. I have so much…..responsibility…I can't even remember to eat, to sleep, to do anything. Maybe that's also why I called you here." Dick was still sobbing.

"Well I'm not even going to be showing my face at Wayne Enterprises; that would be a lot of explaining, wouldn't it?" Jason half chuckled. "But, I can help with patrol and some of the house stuff, alright? That's all I can promise right now."

"Ok. But…don't fight with them. Just ignore Damian; he is throwing out his taunts as a way of just keeping some normalcy I think."

"Ok, no promises, but I think we are done in here," Jason said pressing the button to turn off the massive computer. He easily prevented Dick from stopping him.

"But I still have-"

"To eat and sleep and deal with things."

Dick took a deep breath as a way to try to keep the hyperventilating at bay and put his head in his hands again. Jason couldn't tell if he was rocking or swaying in the chair.

"Come on up and at 'em." Jason said as he tapped Dick's shoulder. Dick stood and took all of three steps before he swayed. He fell halfway into Jason before Jason caught him around the waist. Jason looked at Dick, shocked that he would run himself down this much. The hero was pale and squinting his eyes shut as if to block out the dizziness.

"Whoa. Whoa ok. That's wasn't cool." Jason swung one of Dick's arms around his shoulders. "Do I have to carry you up these stairs or can we just walk together?"

"Walk." Dick sniffled, still not in control of his emotions.

"Good. I was hoping for that option. I'm getting you into bed and getting Alfred to make you something to eat - which you will eat even if I have to feed you and please don't make me feed you."

Dick smiled and even chuckled, finally. It was short lived, however. As they slowly went up the long, narrow stairs up to the house Dick went back to sobbing. "Dick, calm down. It's going to be ok. We'll figure it out. Just….shit…ask for help once in a while."

Dick raised an eyebrow at Jason and said nothing.

"What? Don't look at me like that. I can ask for help too."

The raised eyebrow remained.

"Sometimes. I…well….can we just get up the stairs." Jason heard Dick's breathing increase. Jason didn't want Dick going into a full blown panic attack. "Breathe Dick." Jason reminded him. Dick couldn't remember to eat and sleep and now he can't even remember to take a deep breath.

Dick's arm remained over Jason's shoulders and Jason's other arm rubbed small circles on Dick's back as a way to try and calm him down. Jason remembered it was actually something Dick would do to calm him down when he was younger, much younger, before he….the memory brought tears to his eyes and too many bad memories that accompanied it. Dick…Focus on Dick. Jason starting asking frivolous questions to Dick; what he wanted Alfred to make, if he should expect Damian to try and sneak out to patrol, and anything else Jason could think of until they reached Dick's room.

When they got to Dick's room Jason allowed Dick to flop onto the bed. The older man fell to the side, his head hitting the pillow, and Jason thought he might have fallen asleep right there. Tears still ran down Dick's face, with mixing with other fluids running out of his nose. Jason rummaged through Dick's drawers without hearing complaint from Dick and found a sleep shirt and sweatpants. He put them on the bed next to Dick and knelt down to face to face with his brother to make sure he was awake and could hear him.

"Dick, I put some clothes on the bed for you to change into. Do you think you can handle that while I get Alfred to make you something to eat?" Jason asked. He was met with slightly opened eyes and a small nod. Jason reached for a tissue on the nightstand and wiped Dick's face.

Jason didn't see Dick make a move to get dressed. "Come on, Dickie boy, get dressed for bed." He pulled Dick up into a sitting position, pulling the cord out of the back of the Nightwing suit and unzipping the back of Dick's uniform. Jason remembered wearing the Nightwing costume: unzipping the back to get out of the costume was a bitch and a doubted Dick could have handled it in his state. Jason walked to the door as Dick started to pull down the top portion of his uniform. As Jason exited the room he looked back one last time and saw Dick's bare check and arms. Multiple bruises and bandages littered both and his ribs were taped on the right side. He would probably have to check that later as Dick failed to mention it to him. Typical.

'Damn it Dick why do you have to be so difficult?' Jason thought, knowing Dick has probably thought the same about him several times. The door hadn't yet shut when Dick called out to Jason.

"You aren't leaving tonight, right?" Dick said keeping his head down.

"Huh?"

"I mean, you're staying here tonight, right? I just…I don't want you to leave after what you've heard. I just …want you here…ya know." Dick raised his head meeting Jason's eyes. Jason could see the pleading in the eyes alone; Dick wouldn't have had to say anything. He truly was desperate.

"Don't worry, Golden Boy, I said I was staying and I will. Get dressed and then get some shut eye while Al makes you something to eat."

Jason exited the room and headed downstairs to find Alfred tinkering away in the kitchen.

"My word! Master Jason!" Alfred exclaimed, pulling Jason into a hug. "It is good to see you here. Have you spoken with Master Dick?"

Jason returned the hug, breathing in the familiar scent that was Alfred. Pine scent, Aftershave, and a small hint of cleaner that was just so Alfred hit Jason's nostrils and finally Jason felt like he was home.

"Hi Al. I talked to Dick. He's upstairs getting ready for bed and I was just wondering if there was anything I could get him to eat?" Jason asked smiling. Jason thought if he could just keep smiling then he could keep the tears at bay.

"I shall make Master Dick's favorite soup. Would you like a bowl for yourself Master Jason?" Jason nodded. "I am quite pleased you are here," Alfred continued. "I am also quite please that Master Dick is finally agreeing to sleep and remembering to eat something. I imagine I have you to thank for that."

"It wasn't easy Alfred. I know where he gets that damn stubbornness from."

Alfred put his head down at Jason's statement, waiting for the water to boil. Memories of Bruce flooded through Alfred's mind and Jason could see it all over his face. Jason felt bad for not realizing what he was saying. Jason walked over to Alfred and put an arm around his shoulders. "How are you Al? It's good to see you. You hanging in there?" Anything to try and make up for his earlier mistake.

"My heart is heavy, Master Jason, but it is good to see his legacy live on in the souls that still inhabit this house. In the young man I see standing before me." Alfred said looking up and patted Jason's cheeks. Good ole Alfred. The Butler had a way of looking at Jason and making Jason feel like he never did a wrong thing in his life.

"This place would fall apart without you, Alfred. Be sure you count yourself as one of those souls in which this house inhabits." Jason reminded making quotation marks in the air and smiling at Alfred who returned the gesture. "Speaking of other souls in the house, where are the others?"

"Master Tim is upstairs in his room, asking to be left alone. I would honor that request as there was a….disturbance earlier," Alfred said tilting his head and glaring at one small child sitting on the couch playing a hand held video game device. Damian. Of course. Jason turned to acknowledge the source of the….disturbance.

"Damian."

"Todd."

That was the only response Jason got and probably all he was going to get. Jason sat himself on a kitchen stool and talked with Alfred until the soup was prepared. Jason declined Alfred's offer to take the soup upstairs, saying that he still had to talk to Dick.

Jason carefully balanced the tray, laden with two bowls and two glasses of soda, as he entered Dick's room. Dick wasn't in his bed but his whereabouts were soon answered as Dick walked out of the bathroom hair wet and freshly showered and wearing the clothes Jason had previously laid out for him. Jason set the tray down on the bed and beckoned him over. Dick had a large bed, large enough for them to both sit and eat on.

"Shower felt good."

"I bet. Did you re-tape your ribs? Do you need Al or me to look at anything?" Jason asked.

"I'm good." Dick said and immediately noticed the same look Jason gave him from earlier when he said he was okay. "Jason, I'm fine. If my ribs or anything bothers me later I will immediately report to either you or Alfred. I swear." Dick crawled under the covers and pulled the tray closer to him. Jason then kicked off his shoes and sat cross legged on top of the covers and started eating.

They talked about everything and anything and about what was going to happen. They agreed to talk to the boys about Jason staying and what was going to happen tomorrow. Dick told Jason the details of Bruce's death; how it happened and why. Details that didn't at first seem important to Jason, but when he finally asked, Dick answered.

As Dick recounted the events of Bruce's death the tears came again and Jason handed Dick a tissue, as they were closer to Jason. Jason didn't want Dick to start hyperventilating again when he was so close to getting him to get some sleep.

"Dick, this is going to sound cliché and corny as shit but….. one day at a time. One step at a time. If you start to take on too much at once you'll just end up right where you were when I found you. We'll figure one thing out at a time tomorrow and the rest will take care of itself. Don't worry so much about it."

Dick nodded then suddenly looked alarmed. "Where's Tim and Damian? They didn't go out, did they?" Dick started to get out of bed but was halted by Jason's hand on his arm.

"Tim is in his room for the night requesting to be alone because Damian apparently started some shit with him. Alfred played referee. Damian was teaching Alfred how to play some video game when I came upstairs."

"Poor Alfred." Dick sighed as he sat back in the bed. Jason nodded his agreement. "Since when did you become the voice of reason for this household?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's the shock of the news. Maybe it's seeing you like this. It probably won't last though, so don't count on it."

"Just….try, ok?"

"Yah."

As they continued to talk Dick's eyes soon fluttered shut and Jason caught the bowl before it was dropped and set the tray full of the dishes on the floor. Jason reached over and pulled the covers up over Dick, thankful he was finally asleep. Once he was sure Dick was going to stay asleep for a while, Jason took off his jacket and grabbed the smaller throw blanket at the end of Dick's bed. He then situated himself in the large love seat chair against the wall. Jason didn't want to have to deal with the memories associated with his old room and didn't know what rooms were being used by Tim and Damian.

'Better just to stay here with Dick.' Jason thought 'Ya know, in case of nightmares…damn nightmares.'

Unfortunately, nightmares would only be the start of what was to come.


	4. Chapter 4

A Light in the Dark

Another Shout out to my beta Alex Skywalker

I really love all the favorites and follows I do but can I get some more reviews? It's not for attention and I'm not going to threaten to hold chapters it's just reviews helps me know if I am doing well or if I need to improve on anything or if you gets like the way I am writing the characters.

Chapter 4

Jason awoke to an empty bedroom. He'd slept pretty well, only having awoken a couple of times from Dick's whines and tossing and turning. Luckily Dick never fully awoke and Jason did not plan on telling Dick that he'd woken him. Jason didn't feel the need to add more guilt to Dick's resume of accomplishments. Jason figured, after looking at the clock, that everyone was eating breakfast so he threw the blanket off of him and headed down to the small breakfast table in the kitchen.

Jason's suspicions were correct; as he got closer to the kitchen he could smell what he missed most about this house: Alfred's cooking. When he arrived in the kitchen, he saw Alfred still tinkering around the stove and Dick and Damian already seated at the table. Damian said nothing to Jason and did not seemed surprised that he was still here. Damian was whole heartedly enjoying his breakfast while Dick chose to poke and prod at it only taking a bite here and there. Sitting down between the two brothers Jason took notice of the empty chair.

"And, where is Tim?" Jason pointed to the vacancy in question.

"Tim doesn't want to come down to breakfast this morning. I tried to get him to come down, but….he just wasn't having it." Dick said, obviously depressed over having failed at his quest.

"And that was ok with you?" Jason challenged back.

"No, but what do YOU want me to do Jason?"

Jason decided to take it as it was his turn to do something. He was here to help, right?

"OK, fine." Jason put down his silverware and stood up, about to head to the stairwell.

"Don't hurt him!" Dick called after him.

"I'm not going to hurt him. Geesh." Jason stopped at the edge of the kitchen and turned back with a confused look on his face, pointing upwards.

"Top of the stairs, third door on the left," Damian replied with a mouth full of food. Jason took off to Damian's directions.

When Jason reached Tim's door he pressed his ear against the door, and heard silence in response. He knocked twice then slowly entered. He was met with a sight that both shocked and frightened him. Tim was lying on the bed staring up at the ceiling. His room was a grade A disaster area. Tim was always a neat person- like OCD neat person. Jason recalled all the times Dick would complain about Tim's neatness and voice his concerns that the boy actually had a disorder. This wasn't the same kid Dick used to tell him about. This wasn't the brother he'd been growing to know. As Jason stepped in the room Tim shot up off the bed in surprise.

"Jason! When did they find you?" Tim asked.

"Last night."

"And you're still here."

"Surprised?"

"No, just….I didn't know. Something I can help you with?" Tim watched Jason slowly enter his room eyeing everything all over the floor.

"What happened in here?"

"You come up here to question my lack of cleanliness?"

"No, I was commenting on the unusual lack of cleanliness. It's breakfast time, we're all eating downstairs."

"Dick didn't tell you? I don't want any breakfast." Tim finally stood up all the way off his bed and Jason got a better look at Tim. Tim had definitely lost weight. He was skinny to begin with, but the way the thin white T-shirt and sweatpants hung on him looking as if they could easily fall all the way off of him, Tim looked like a skeleton. Jason continued to eye the room and the things on the floor-dirty clothes, papers, CD's- he wondered if the things just landed there from Tim's lack of picking them up or if they were thrown there in a fit of rage.

"Well, breakfast isn't optional and I'm not Dick so let's go."

"Jason, I'm just not hungry."

"Your emaciating figure tells me otherwise. Let's. Go. Now."

"Jason I'm not- UMMPHH!" Jason had picked Tim up and put him over his shoulder. Tim's lack of weight did not surprise Jason.

"Jason, put me down!"

"Not until we get to the breakfast table. Now I can carry you all the way in there and let it be known to the others that is how you chose to get down there or you can walk the rest of the way. I really don't care which but you are going down there and eating breakfast."

"Ok, Ok, fine I'll walk." Tim said as they reached the end of the upstairs hallway. Tim didn't like the idea of Jason carrying him kicking and screaming in front of Dick- and especially in front of Damian.

Jason set him down. He looked Tim over and knew he kept his promise: Tim was unharmed. There was a slight redness to his face, but whether that was from the blood rushing to his face or his embarrassment was anyone's guess. The two stood there in silence, each waiting for the other to make a move.

"After you." Jason motioned with his hand and followed after Tim. "And after breakfast you're taking a shower."

Alfred was the first to take notice of the two of them entering the kitchen. "Ahh! Master Timothy, it is good to see you up and about for breakfast." Alfred put a plate of food in front of him, but Tim made no move to eat it. Jason grabbed Tim's napkin and made like he was going to spread it over his lap when Tim snatched it away from him and glared at Jason.

Jason noticed Damian was going for seconds while Dick looked like he had barely made any progress on his plate. Jason complimented Alfred's cooking as a plate was set in front of him. Jason wondered why Dick was backsliding into not eating again. He couldn't use the excuse he forgot; it was right there in front of him. Something was bothering Dick and Jason's question as to what was answered when Dick spoke up.

"We need to find a way to make it so that Gotham still knows it has a Batman looking out after them." Dick looked like he was going to vomit. Jason's fork paused mid-way to his mouth, astonished that this was how Dick was going to start things.

"You mean who is going to wear father's costume," Damian said. Dick nodded. Damian continued: "I had assumed you would-"

"I don't want to. I don't think I am the best person suited for it. I'm….I just don't think it should be me." A few eyes fluttered to Jason before going back to their plates full of food.

"Don't look at me. I'm not putting up my guns and I'm sure you don't want a gun toting Batman out there." Jason went back to eating.

"You aren't….I mean after everything you aren't going to try?" Tim gently prodded. Jason put his fork down on the table…hard.

"I'm not changing. This changes nothing as to who I am. Got it?!" Jason was quickly becoming agitated. "Look, Dick, let's just eat first and we'll figure things out a little later ok?"

"I just thought that with everyone seated here-"

"Later, Dick." Jason purposefully put more force behind Grayson's first name, almost turning it into an insult. "Alfred, come on and sit down and eat with us. We all have our plates, come on."

"Yah, Alfred, you've done enough, come sit with us." Dick chimed in.

"Well, I'm not sure it is proper." Alfred started.

"It's proper Alfred, we want you here," Tim piped up.

"Well, if you insist."

"We do," Jason said with a glare sent to Damian, who had yet to speak up.

"Yes, of course, please come sit." Damian got up and retrieved Alfred a chair. The look on Alfred's face said it all when he sat with his four young charges. Alfred was happy as he had waited for this for a long time, yet sad as Master Bruce wasn't here to see it.

Dick was settled with the change of topic, having found it difficult to start the long list of things that needed to be gone over as a family. He couldn't blame Jason for getting upset. After all, they all had had two weeks to get used to Bruce's death. Jason had only had one night.

Jason took notice of the amount of times Tim kept wiping his mouth with his napkin. The younger boy was being way too compliant. Jason saw Tim's folded napkin next to his plate and reached over and unfolded it on the table. In the napkin was half chewed pieces of food.

"Nice one. Try again," Jason said and stood up with Tim's napkin and threw it away. Now Tim would have no place to hide his little eating shananigans. "Just eat. You look like you need it," Jason quietly grumbled at Tim, hoping the other's couldn't hear him. Finding no other way Tim ate…slowly.

Slowly but surely the family finished eating. Jason was happy to find that Dick ended up finishing his plate. Tim left about half of his food on his plate but after what he'd seen he figured half of his plate was a success. Damian was the most successful eater of the bunch having finished a third helping. Alfred rose to start collecting the plates but Jason followed.

"I'll do that Alfred. Take a day off man. Go read a book, go to the gardens, do something else." Jason smiled at Alfred as he started to collect the plates from the table. "Damian, wash the dishes."

"I will do no such thing."

Jason took three quick strides to get in Damian's face. "I said; Do. The. Dishes." Jason felt a hand on his shoulder. Jason grabbed the offending appendage tightly and removed it from his shoulder.

"Come on Damian, you wash, I'll dry; it won't take long," Dick appeased rubbing his now sore hand, and Jason relented.

"Jeesh, it's like no one's ever asked you to do a chore," Jason rumbled at Damian.

"No one has," Damian replied.

"I'm going to go check on Tim. Hopefully he went to go take a shower," Jason said noticing Tim was gone.

"Glad I am not the only one to take notice that Drake smells," Damian grumbled as he started the dishes.

After a while, Dick and Damian were in a routine finishing up the dishes.

"I hope you know, Grayson, that Todd is not the savior you would like him to be."

"And what does that mean?" Dick quirked an eyebrow at Damian.

"He is not here to save the family. He is incapable of it."

"I know he isn't here to save the family, but give him some credit; he did get Tim down to breakfast and got Alfred to sit down with us and eat."

"Tt."

"And he isn't here to save the family; he is here to be _part_ of the family."

"I hope you truly mean that, Grayson, because if you don't, you may be doing more damage than you realize."

"Meaning?" Dick wondered where Damian was going with this. He certainly didn't want to cause Jason any problems or damage and had hoped he wasn't putting too much responsibility, too much family, too much …..everything on Jason, too soon.

"Meaning, Todd is probably taking father's death the worst out of all of us. He is simply the best at hiding it."


	5. Chapter 5

A Light in the Dark

A/N: Again I love that people are following and favoriting this story but please I would really REALLY love some reviews so I know what it is you love and if there is anything that is OOC or something.

It has been asked so I will put it here, there is NO SLASH in this story. Later on there will be an issue with a sexual assault but nothing in detail just words skimming on the outside of it, enough to know what it is but but no detail What. So. Ever.

Reviews! Please!

Shout out to my wonderful beta Alex Skywalker!

Chapter 5

After breakfast, Jason bounded up the stairs to check on Tim. He hoped the boy had listened to him earlier and was taking a shower. Jason slowly entered Tim's room, happy to find the room empty and the sound of the shower running coming from the bathroom. If possible, the room looked messier than before. Jason looked around, wondering if he should clean anything up but decided against it, knowing how it would make him feel if someone went around picking things up in his room. Speaking of which, he would have to make the inevitable journey to that place at some point today.

Jason was about to leave when he noticed a photo album open on Tim's unmade bed. He knew it hadn't there before, when he'd come to get Tim for breakfast. Jason sat on the bed, going through the photo album from the beginning. Jason felt like he knew Tim well enough, but hoped the photo album might help him find a way to engage with Tim-to help him past this. The photos started out with pictures of Tim and his biological father before the man had passed. He had been killed by Captain Boomerang via a boomerang to the chest. Tim had been the one to find him.

Soon the pictures were replaced with photos of Tim and Bruce. The photos were from all over the world, their "other job" no doubt taking them there. There was the Eiffel Tower, snowcapped mountains, and other world monuments. After the pictures of Tim and Bruce were pictures of the brothers, Dick and Damian with Tim. There were even a couple of pictures of Jason in there though Tim wasn't in those pictures. That impressed Jason; it showed him…respect. It was around the pictures of Tim with Dick and Damian that Jason started to notice that all the pictures were posed, everyone was happy,…well, Damian was the exception, though Jason could see a smiling smirk on Damian's face in one of the pictures. There were no candid photos and Jason wondered if Tim kept those photos somewhere else. Jason knew that Tim loved to take photos, so where were all of the rest of the photos Tim took?

After the brother came Tim's friends. More specifically, they were of his best friends…the ones that were lost. Pictures of Tim with Bart, Connor and Stephanie. Jason noticed some marks near the photos of Connor…..wet dots…tear strains. Tim didn't cry. Jason remembered Dick telling him that out of all of them Tim had yet to cry over Bruce's death. Even Damian had shed a couple of tears when they had brought Bruce's body home Dick had said. It was then that he sadly realized he had never seen Tim cry…..never. Jason thoughts turned morbid as he realized the photo album was only of the people Tim has lost in his life, with the exception of Dick and Damian. Had Tim thought he had lost them too? Or was it the family he felt he lost?

"Jason?" What are you doing?" Tim was standing there, hair wet from the shower, bare chested but with shorts on. Now that Jason was seeing Tim without the shirt he could clearly see the outline of the boy's ribs. Tim still retained some muscle in his arms but overall had lost a lot of….well…everything: weight, muscle; that smile, the sparkle of excitement in his eyes that he first saw on Tim as Robin in pictures.

"Jason? You're staring."

"Sorry."

"What are you doing?"

"Hmmm? Oh," Jason was embarrassed he was caught unaware. "I was just coming to check on you and came across your photo album and was just looking at it."

"MmmmmHmmm." Tim picked up the photo album from in front of Jason and put it on his desk balancing it on top of a pile of junk that looked like it would fall over any second.

"You miss your friends," Jason started. He didn't dare say Bruce; it was too soon, too fresh, even for Jason.

Tim looked everywhere but at Jason, finally settling his eyes on a spot on the far wall. Tim bit his lip and simply nodded as if he didn't trust his voice. Jason took it as a sign to continue.

"I didn't know them. What were they like? Were you and Connor-"

"I don't want to talk about this Jason." Tim turned his back to Jason and looked out the window he was standing in front of. His prominent shoulder blades that were sticking out caused Jason's brow to furrow in concern. Tim was shutting down.

"Tim, I just-"

"I'm fine. Really, Jason, I'm okay." Tim was echoing Dick's sentiments from when Jason first showed up to the cave.

"No, you're not," Jason challenged.

"That's the pot calling the kettle….look, I don't want to fight. I'm more than happy to be your brother but I can't be your charity case."

"Tim, you're aren't my-"

"I don't want to FEEL like your charity case then, ok? I think you of all people can respect that."

Jason's mouth closed from it's open and shocked position. He could understand that. He could even respect that.

"Okay," Jason said standing up slowly from the bed and heading for the door. He turned back before exiting. "Tim, as your brother, I'm concerned, okay? So I'd like to see you out of this room at some point today. I know we have a lot to talk over…..as a family." Jason didn't get a response- not that he expected one- and closed Tim's door behind him, heading downstairs.

When he got downstairs he found Alfred dusting some things in the living room where Damian was playing a video game.

"Where's Dick?" Jason asked Alfred, disappointed the older man had gone back to cleaning the first chance he got.

"I believe, Master Jason, he had some business to take care of in the cave."

Jason nodded, deciding to leave Dick alone. He noticed the game Damian was playing and approached the ex-assassin.

"I know this game."

"And?"

"And, I bet I know it better than you."

"Tt. If you are offering a challenge, Todd, then you know I am accepting."

Jason grabbed a controller.

"Prepare to have your ass handed to you."

"Must be nice to dream Todd."

Alfred could only roll his eyes at Jason's use of foul language. It has always been Master Bruce who had chastised the young man about his bad habits. Alfred just didn't have the heart to do it. He continued to watch his two young charges as they proceeded to the challenge of the video game, a small smile touching his lips.

The bat's cries echoed off the walls of the Bat-cave as Dick Grayson once again sat alone in front of the computer banks, resetting some passwords and taking care of some business. On the main computer screen a warning came up. It read:

"It has been 2 weeks since Operation Mortalitas has been reset. Do you wish to reset or download program?"

Dick didn't know what to do. He knew the bat-computer was set to delete certain things if Bruce wasn't there to reset them after a certain time, but he thought he had reset everything. Or at least that Bruce had told him everything about what would need to be reset in case of emergency. He hadn't told him about this.

Mortalitas…Dick knew he had heard that foreign word before. After looking it up he tentatively pressed download. Once the file finished downloading it opened and displayed across the main screen, illuminating Grayson's face as he whispered, "Oh God."


	6. Chapter 6

A Light in the Dark

A/N: A shout out to my beta Alex Skywalker and to lambs-before-lions for the best review/Pm I've ever gotten thank you so much. Thank you everyone who continues to read I would really like reviews so that I know what exactly I am doing correctly that you guys like or if there are things to improve upon. Thanks!

Chapter 6

After a multitude of games passed between Damian and Jason, all of which Jason unsuccessfully tried to get Alfred to partake in, Jason decided, since a couple hours had passed since his last attempt, to try and get Tim out of his room. As Jason stood and put down the controller Damian wasted no time in antagonizing his video game counterpart.

"I see you have had your fill of losing."

"I go easy on small children, it's only fair."

"Amusing, I always go easy on psychopaths. It is only fair."

Jason flashed a sarcastic smile at the younger boy before looking forlornly upstairs.

"You will not get him to come out," Damian stated. " Drake has decided to handle this….situation…..in an unacceptable manner."

"To each his own, Damian." Jason started up the stairs. "To each his own."

Jason raised his fist to knock on Tim's door when he saw the door next to Tim's. His door, his room. Tim's door forgotten, Jason lowered his fist and walked to his own door. He stood at his door, forehead pressed to the dark wood, and had an internal argument with himself. He knew he had to eventually make this journey but wasn't sure what exactly lay behind this door. The place seemed so foreign to him that he almost felt the need to knock first and ask permission to enter the foreign domain. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath, steadied himself, and opened the door. The sight took that deep breath right out of him.

The room was exactly how he'd left it sans some dirty clothes picked up off the floor. Posters from his favorite childhood bands adorned the wall. His bed had been made; the same sheets and comforter lay atop it. His desk was still as messy as he'd left it; a gathering of papers, pens, pictures and knick-knacks splayed around an older style computer. Someone, namely Alfred, probably came in once in a while as Jason noticed there was no dust. A pain hit Jason's chest as he noticed the pictures of the family he used to know displayed on his nightstand alongside the box of personal belongings that had been brought to him the night he'd left to find his biological mother. The night he'd died.

Memories, good and bad, raced through the astonishment as Jason remembered his first night in the room. He had never felt a bed so soft in his life- most of it having been spent on the street. He remembered sleeping on the floor the first few nights as he felt awkward sleeping in such a big, luxurious bed. He remembered the window he'd always snuck out of, and always got caught sneaking out of. The tree outside the window that Jason would sneak into to smoke or just look at the horizon from. He lifted his hand to his face to wipe away something wet and realized he was crying. Funny thing was he had no idea why he was crying. He didn't' know if it was the memories of happier, safer, more innocent times or the fact that his room had been kept the same, as if Bruce had always expected him to come home someday. Even after all the grief Jason had given the man after his resurrection, Bruce still kept the room the same. Bruce truly never gave up on Jason, the scared, yet tough little boy he once took in because he, and only him, saw something more in the boy than just the street urchin almost everybody else saw.

Out of curiosity Jason went over and pulled open one of his dresser drawers. Sure enough, his clothes were still in there. Knowing the clothes would no longer fit him Jason knew he would have to go to his apartment and get some clothes. Probably take a shower as well.

The emotions didn't stop as Jason sat on the bed and bent over, his elbows on his knees and his face hidden in his hands as he drank in whatever else the room had to offer. He wasn't sure how long he sat like that until the sound of feet made its way to the doorway.

"Jason?" Jason's head shot up and met the face of Tim as the younger boy slowly made his way into the bedroom. "I was just coming out of my room for something and noticed the door open," Tim said as he sat next to Jason on the bed. Tim could see Jason's bloodshot eyes, an indication he had been crying- or still was- but the man's massive hands, holding his face, caught the tears, saving Jason from losing as much pride as he could allow.

"Are you okay?' Tim asked.

"Yeah. I just didn't know what to expect. I had no idea he kept everything the same."

Tim nodded at this. "Every once in a while Alfred comes in here to dust and air out the room and right before he does he always asks Bruce if he wants anything done to the room. Bruce always said no."

"Does he just want a reminder of his greatest failure?"

"You weren't just his greatest failure, you know. You were more than that. He was proud of what you accomplished when you were by his side. He told me himself. You don't know what it took for him to finally agree to take me on as Robin." Jason snorted at this. "He keeps the room the same because he always knew eventually you would come home. Even if it was just for one night, he kept that faith in you."

"I gotta go back to my apartment," Jason sighed. Tim looked distressed at this. It did not go unnoticed by the older man, and he felt the need to explain in order to put the younger one at ease. "I have to shower and grab some clothes. I doubt the ones in that dresser will fit this buff bod," Jason joked as he mockingly flexed his muscles, making Tim smile. They exited the room and headed down the stairs.

"I'm sure Alfred will let you borrow one of the cars." Tim led the way down the steps, keeping close to the railing as he went.

"Cool. I left my bike a bit a ways from the entrance."

"Actually, Alfred brought it back and put it in the garage, but I imagine it would be hard to transport bags of clothes on a motorcycle."

"True. So, you said you were coming down here for something? Good that you're out of the room."

"Yeah, I was hungry."

"Even better." Jason smiled, hoping Tim was turning a corner and making some progress.

When they arrived in the main room, Alfred and Damian awaited them, Alfred still cleaning and Damian still playing his video game.

"Alfred, can I borrow one of the cars? I need to go back to my place, shower, and grab some clothes and stuff." Jason leaned against the doorway to the kitchen where Alfred was cleaning.

"Sure, Master Jason, although I would be more than happy to drive you."

"Nah, that's ok." Jason noticed Dick wasn't in the room and assumed he was probably still in the cave. "Besides, someone needs to keep an eye on the video game champion here."

Damian snorted and stood up, facing the trio. "I am not Drake. I do not require coddling nor supervision because, unlike Drake, I can handle someone dying."

"Damian," Jason warned.

"At least I have emotions, mutant," Tim snapped back, borrowing one of Jason's taunts.

"Oh yes, Drake. While I compliment you on finally smelling somewhat descent, perhaps you can now try not to waste away into nothing, like your friends and everyone else that get too close to you." Damian stared back at Tim with a smug look on his face.

Jason should have anticipated that Tim was going to react. Anyone would with a comment like that. But Jason was too late as Tim jumped and vaulted over the back of the couch and tackled Damian to the ground, pinning him there underneath him and hitting him twice in the face before Jason could get to him.

"My word!" Alfred exclaimed trying to help break up the fight.

Jason came up from behind Tim, who was growling, and tried to pull his arms back only to realize he had to first pry his hands off of Damian's throat. While doing do he tried to talk Tim down.

"Come on Tim, let go, he's just doing this to get a reaction out of you." Jason could feel Tim's tears hitting his hands as he got them off of Damian's throat. He pulled Tim backwards with all his strength and landed on his butt with Tim in his lap, still very upset. Jason immediately wrapped his arms around Tim's arms, preventing him from lashing out physically as Tim launched a verbal assault and profanity at the younger boy who was sputtering on the ground, attended by Alfred.

"Tim, sssshhh shhhh, Tim, it's alright. Relax Tim, it's over, it's done." Tim finally relaxed at the sound of Jason's voice but continued to breath heavily. Both boys stood up and Jason passed Tim off to Alfred to look after. Tim immediately turned away from the younger boy on the ground, leaning his forehead against Alfred's shoulders as Alfred patted his head and soothed him.

"There's a good lad. It's all over with now."

Jason bent down and picked up Damian by the front of his sweater and hauled him around the corner. Jason didn't intend for Tim and Alfred to hear what he had to say to Damian but he couldn't help the way his voice carried when he was angry. Jason got close to Damian's face, making sure he had his full attention.

"OK, listen short shit. Don't ever mention his friends again, got it? Did you ever stop to think that the reason Tim has lost so many friends is because he actually had some to begin with? Who do you both have now that Bruce is gone, huh? Who? Each other. The people who live in this house. So get used to it. I know you are just lashing out to keep up some sort of sick sense of normalcy, but things aren't normal right now, are they Damian? Are they? All you both have is each other right now so let's get this clear: you will never, EVER, do that again. Are we clear?"

Damian did not respond. Jason really didn't expect him to because what could he say but admit defeat and that wasn't in his nature. Jason knew he got through to the younger boy as his eye contact with Jason never faltered. Damian slowly extracted himself from between the wall and the larger man, rounded the corner and headed up the stairs, never once looking at the room's occupants. Damian's exit was finalized by the slamming of his bedroom door.

As Jason came around the corner he could tell his words to Damian had been heard by the looks on Alfred and Tim's faces, both of whom were staring back at Jason.

"Tim, why don't you come with me back to my place. I could use the company," Jason lied. After seeing his room and the emotions that came with it he preferred to be alone, plus he really didn't want the others to know where he was living, but things were different now and the first thing on his mind was making sure Damian and Tim didn't get into it again while he was gone. Jason already feared that Damian set back the small progress he had made with Tim.

Tim just nodded at Jason mostly in shock from the offer. With that they grabbed their coats and were out the door.

While driving, Jason remembered Tim saying at the house that he was hungry.

"Wanna go get something to eat? I know this place that has the best chilidogs; they are by far my favorite."

"I'm not allowed to eat chilidogs," Tim said meekly, sparing a glance at Jason.

Shocked, Jason looked to Tim. "What? Chilidogs are the best! Who said you can't have a chilidog….." Jason's voice faded out towards the end of the sentence realizing who it was that forbid chilidogs in his house. "Well damn him and his health conscious ways," Jason laughed. Jason didn't know if chilidogs were forbidden because of health reasons or because they were Jason's favorite. Jason fully intended to show Tim what he was missing.

After a few minutes of silence Jason decided to test if his progress with Tim was for naught thanks to Damian or if he could push just a little further.

"Tim….you like taking pictures right? You have a camera and like photography?"

"Yah." Tim kept his answer short and simple, not knowing where Jason was going with this.

"Well, I know you've probably taken a lot of pictures."

"Yah, you saw most of them in the photo album."

"You didn't take all those- you were in most of them. But also, those were posed, rehearsed almost. As stealthy as us birds can be, I know you probably have a bunch more pictures, more candid ones where no one knows you're watching them."

Tim just nodded, keeping his gaze straight ahead.

"Well, where are they? I didn't see them in plain sight in that disaster area you call your room."

"They are put away, locked away, where I can't see them right now."

"Why?"

Tim took a deep breath. So this is where Jason was going with this.

"Candid photos are…..different. You see the person differently, how they genuinely are. When they are really sad, when they are really deep in concentration over something or when they are genuinely happy. Not like smile for the camera and you slap some fake shit-eating grin on your face. Candid photos are when they are just….them. And when they aren't here anymore it hurts to look at that photo and know that's the only way you will see how they really are….were anymore."

Jason remained silent after Tim's answer. He hadn't expected something so profound from the younger boy. He knew he was smart, but not psychologically smart like that. It almost made Jason scared for what Tim thought of him.

After Jason showered and grabbed some clothes and things, and Tim and him had at least one chilidog, they ended up back at the manor. They walked into a rather tense mood in the living room. Alfred and Damian were just standing there looking distressed.

"Alfred?" Jason asked. "Did you guys eat? We had something while we were out."

"Master Jason." Was the only response given.

Tim and Jason noticed that Alfred and Damian's gazes were fixed on the grandfather clock, the entrance to the bat-cave. Tim, not wanting to beat around the bush spoke up.

"What's going on? Is Dick still down there?"

"I'm afraid so, Master Timothy. After we ate I attempted to take a plate down to the cave, only to find the door locked and Master Richard not answering any of my calls or hails."

"ok, ok uhm, maybe he's just brooding," Jason stammered trying to think of what Dick was up to. "I mean, Dick wouldn't do anything stupid, I mean-" Jason's rambling was interrupted by the grandfather clock entrance opening and Dick walking out looking worse for wear.

"Jesus Dick!" Jason exclaimed as he walked up to him.

Dick was pale, very pale, and had a bit of a sheen of sweat look to his face. His gate was shuffling, not at all the confident stride he normally used, and he appeared to be at a loss for words as his eyes fixed on the nothingness in front of him. Something shocked him. Something scared him, and scared him good.

"Dick….Dick are you alright?" Jason said, snapping his fingers in front of Dick's face to get his attention. Dick's gaze fluttered over the various occupants in the room.

"Oh….oh God he….he..left….he….. oh God." And with that Dick's eyes rolled back in his head and before Jason could catch him, Dick passed out cold on the floor.


	7. Chapter 7

A Light in the Dark

A/N: Another shout out to my wonderful beta Alex Skywalker. I probably overdramatized the ending of the last chapter so I hope you aren't too mad at me for that. I am stealing a part from "Battle for the Cowl" (the message Bruce left for Jason), this is the hardest chapter so far I have had to write.

Warning: Though nothing is described in detail, there are allusions to child abuse and sexual abuse. I am putting this warning here in case this triggers anything for anyone.

**PLEASE I NEED REVIEWS!**

Chapter 7

"Dick? Dick? Come on wake up!" Jason yelled all of three inches from Dick's face, tapping it lightly. They'd managed to get Dick onto the couch and raise his legs and he was starting to get a bit of color back in his face. The rooms occupants were gathered around Dick, all concerned as to his condition and the cause of it.

"Maybe we should try some water," Damian suggested.

Tim ran out and soon returned with a glass of water. He handed it to Jason who immediately threw it in Dick's face. Dick suddenly started to sputter and move.

"Todd, I do not believe that was the purpose of the water," Damian scolded.

"It worked didn't it? Dick come on, open your eyes, wake up." Jason continued yelling at Dick and tapping his face.

Dick tried to swat Jason's hands away as he woke and got his bearings.

"Master Jason, perhaps we should all give Master Richard a little room and let him gather his thoughts."

They all obeyed Alfred's order and backed up a bit as Dick woke fully and looked around at the startled yet concerned faces of his family.

"What happened?" Dick asked, sitting up.

"That's what we want to know. After locking yourself in the cave for hours you show up looking like a zombie and pass out. What the hell is going on?" Jason rattled off at Dick.

"He….there was…..Jesus….he was…." Dick tried to start but couldn't.

"Jesus was here?" Jason joked.

"Careful, Master Richard, we wouldn't want you fainting again. Drink this and take your time." Alfred handed Dick another glass of water.

Dick drank the water, trying to avoid eye contact with the eyes that were staring at him. Dick's hands were shaking.

"Dick, what was in the cave that scared you so bad?" Tim finally spoke up.

"Bruce," Dick stated simply.

The shock on the other four faces was undeniable.

"Bruce is in the cave?" All four seemed to ask at once.

"Wait, no - well, sort of. There was a file, one of the ones that needed to be downloaded because Bruce hadn't reset it after a certain amount of time except, he didn't tell me about this one. I looked up the file name and it was the Latin word for death. I downloaded it and there he was. A hologram, but the most realistic thing in the world. He left messages for us…..all of us."

Jason looked down, feeling as if maybe he wasn't included in that.

"Jason, you too. You will all need to listen to your messages; I've already listened to mine."

Nobody seemed to want to be the one to step forward so Alfred decided to spare his young charges. "I suppose I will go and see what Master Bruce has to say." And with that, Alfred left the room for the cave, leaving the others practically pacing the floor.

After a few minutes, Alfred returned to the room. Still no one wanted to be the next to go.

"Well, I suppose I shall see what my father has left to say to me." Damian put on a brace face and marched down to the cave.

"I have other duties I need to tend to as well," Alfred said quietly, obviously affected by what was said to him in the message.

"I'm going to go take a shower and…..think about things," Dick said as he headed up the stairs.

"Dick," Jason called after him.

"I'm fine Jason," Dick returned without looking back and giving him just a wave of his hand.

Jason looked back to Tim, concerned how he might be affected by Bruce's upcoming message. "You sure you'll be ok with this?"

"Yah, yah, I mean, Bruce is actually the only one to leave me any sort of message after he died so it might be comforting ya know? I mean, it will be hard to see him again but, I would want to see my father again, even if it was for a message…..or Connor, Bart….." Tim trailed off. Jason squeezed Tim's shoulder in support.

A few minutes later, Damian came walking in. He kept his chin about 2 inches higher in the air than normal, obviously trying to keep up a proud façade, yet failing miserably all the same. Damian glanced at the faces of Jason and Tim and knew almost immediately that they could see right through him. He flopped on the couch next to Jason, the mask dropping. Damian all of the sudden looked different. He looked younger, like the little boy he really was. He looked fragile. He looked…..human, for once.

Tim could barely take what these messages were doing to his family. It rendered Alfred into silence, Damian into an unsure frail child, and caused Dick to lose consciousness. Tim feared what the message would do to him, or what it would do to the unpredictable Jason Todd.

Tim almost wanted to ask Jason to go next, but he knew he had to do this sooner or later, and it might as well be sooner. He tried to remember what he'd told Jason earlier, to try and comfort himself as he stood, taking a deep breath.

Before he walked away from the couch he stole one last glance at Jason who smiled and nodded his support. With that, Tim disappeared into the dark confines of the bat-cave.

Jason scooted a little closer to Damian, who was staring out in front of him. Then it came. One tear, then two. Silent. No outburst. No sobbing. No noise. No nothing, except the two silent tears. Nothing more.

"Damian," Jason said concern laced his voice. He put a hand on the smaller boys shoulder.

"He was proud of me. My father." Damian kept his gaze forward not looking at Jason. "He was proud…..of me. I…..I didn't know what it was like…..to have someone…..be proud of me." Damian kept his voice steady, though he struggled to find the right words. No more tears came and he didn't appear to be holding any back either.

"What do you mean?" Jason asked, his eyes never leaving the profile of the boy's face.

"Ever since I could remember, from everyone I knew, it was 'harder Damian', 'faster Damian', 'kill Damian', 'show no mercy Damian'. Then I come here and there's someone…..who was proud of me…..and it wasn't for what I was raised to be-"

"You mean an assassin," Jason interrupted and Damian nodded and continued.

"But not the type of assassin for good. When I came here, I had to learn everything all over again. Same skill set, but for an entirely different cause. My father was proud of me for fighting for his cause, the good cause. My mother…..the League of Shadows never expressed gratitude or pride towards one fighting for their cause."

"I'm not surprised; they aren't exactly known for that."

"But…..he was proud of what I had done. He said he had known it wasn't easy for me. He was proud of me."

Jason was taken aback. He had never seen Damian like this before; the boy was truly shocked that Bruce was proud of him. He had never experienced someone being proud of him. It was a feeling he obviously liked, but was mournful that the man hadn't been able to express his pride for his son before it was too late.

Jason took another scoot closer to Damian and tentatively wrapped a large arm around the small boy's shoulders.

"He had every right to be proud of you. He should be. And, know that though we don't always express it to one another, Bruce isn't the only one who is proud of you."

"I don't know what to make of this," Damian said as his brow furrowed. Jason kept his arm across Damian's shoulders steady and squeezed. It was no secret Damian was not used to emotions; this must've been difficult for him to handle and process. Jason had never seen Damian express any emotions and now so many different emotions compounded on the boy at once.

"You may not know what to make of it for a while. Bruce was a complicated man. We don't live ordinary lives, so this isn't the simplest nor easiest thing for us to process."

"Do you know what to make of your relationship with our father? Of your closure with it?"

As Damian finally looked at Jason the use of the term 'our father' did not go un-noticed by the older one. Before Jason could think of a response, the grandfather clock entrance opened with a bang and a blur, almost unrecognizable as one Tim Drake, sped past them, up the stairs, and into his bedroom with a slam of the door. Jason heaved a big sigh. This wasn't good. He needed to go to him yet he didn't want to leave the young boy in front of him who was finally making a break through.

"You okay?" Jason asked Damian.

"Yes, I just need to….process. Go to Drake; all we have is each other, correct?"

Jason smiled at the young boy as he squeezed his shoulders.

"That's why he's proud of you."

As Jason stood and went for the stairs, Damian decided to go to the library. It was by far the quietest area of the house, which would allow Damian the silence to meditate on these new found feelings.

Jason arrived at Tim's door and knocked, not surprised when he didn't receive a response.

"Tim, come on, open the door. Please?"

No response.

Jason had no idea what the message was that Tim received, but it had obviously struck something within him that caused him to close right back up again. Jason prayed that Tim wasn't stupid enough to do…..well, something stupid.

"Come on, Tim. I at least need to know you're ok." Silence. "Ok, that's stupid. I mean ok like you can come to the door and at least look at me ok."

After a couple of seconds Jason heard some fumbling around and footsteps heading towards the door. Tim opened the door just a few inches. Enough for about half of his face to be seen. Tim looked at Jason through the crack in the door, evidence all over his face that he had been crying.

"Tim? Everything ok? Do you want to talk about it?"

Tim shook his head. "I'm fine," He mumbled and shut the door and locked it again.

Jason let his head sink, distraught over letting down one boy while having success with the other. This family was so confusing.

"You should be happy he even did that. He doesn't even open the door for me when he shuts down."

Dick's voice startled Jason. He looked up to see Dick leaning against a bedroom door a few feet away. He was dressed in sweats and a towel was draped over his neck, obviously having freshly showered.

"I believe you've procrastinated enough; isn't it your turn to go downstairs? I'll try to get Tim out."

"Damian needs some talking to also."

Dick nodded his head as Jason walked away to what he was positive was his certain doom.

The cave held gloominess in all the senses. The darkness, the screeching of the bats, the damp smell that seemed to seep through the pores of your skin. It wasn't a place you would associate with happy memories or good times. Jason was sure that wasn't about to change. The young man recalled being in the cave the first time he wore his Robin outfit, about to go on patrol for the first time, excitement and anticipation pouring through his soul.

"_This is the happiest day of my life."_

Jason sat in the large bat chair, suddenly feeling like a small child dwarfed by the large chair. The file was right where Dick said it was and he entered in his birth date as the password.

The three large screens separated and moved upwards. The sudden large movement startled Jason and he gripped the arms of the chair, ready to use them as a method of propulsion should he need to run. The large middle screen soon was facing the ground and a light projected from the screen to the ground. Its light leaked through the gloominess, casting a glow on the haunted man's face. The light soon formed into a hologram of Bruce Wayne. A very realistic looking Bruce Wayne.

Jason leaned back in the chair, feeling like Bruce was suddenly right in front of him. He could now understand why Dick, who was still reeling from Bruce's death, was so spooked by this realistic version of Bruce. The hologram was paused, waiting for Jason's command to start. But Jason just sat and looked at the older man.

Bruce was wearing the Bat-suit with the cowl pulled down. His eyes and face were downcast and somber, no doubt due to the tone of the message. Jason wondered if Bruce recorded the message for him when he recorded the messages for the others or if he waited until…..other events had occurred. Jason took a deep breath and pressed play.

The hologram looked up and seemed to look right at Jason…..right through Jason.

"_Jason by now you've been told of my death and you're probably surprised to be invited back to the cave-"_

"Surprised is an understatement old man…..but it wasn't you who invited me back." He couldn't help but voice his thoughts aloud to the realistic incantation as if he were talking to the actual man.

"_-But like Tim, Dick, and Damian I'm leaving you with the one thing I can't give anymore…..advice."_

"Oh shit, so this is the path we are going to go down. There are five million other things you could leave me with besides advice."

"_Of all my failures, you have been my biggest."_

"No shit; but do you realize why, Bruce."

"_I take full responsibility for your wayward and self-destructive path in life."_

"Gee, give me some credit too there, Bruce."

"_You were broken and I thought I could put the pieces back together. I thought I could do for you what could never be done for me, make you whole."_

"I was broken long before I met you, Bruce. I was never going to be whole, no matter what you did…..or didn't do."

"_What happened to you as a child-"_

"Don't go there Bruce."

"_-the terror-"_

"Don't!"

"_-the pain-"_

"Stop it!"

"_-the horrors-"_

"Don't Bruce!"

"_-but that secret is one that neither of us should have kept."_

"NOOOOO!" Jason screamed, throwing his fists down on the counter in front of him, the chair toppling to the ground behind him. Jason came to his knees and wept as the secret…..the abuse…..played through Jason's mind. Hands, touching, tears, lips, teeth, pressure, pain, and only the feeling of shame left over as the sound of money hitting the mattress echoed through the haze - all of it so he could have a meal for the night. Sometimes he didn't even have the sound of money assuring him of food to accompany the shame. Bruce's hologram continued.

"_You needed repair and instead I gave you an outlet to act out on, for that I apologize."_

"STOOOP!"

Deep in the shadows a pair of eyes watched Jason fall apart in front of the image of his mentor and father figure. He felt guilty for intruding upon this very private time for Jason, but Dick wanted to know how Jason would react, what the uncovering of this unknown secret would do. Dick would never tell his brothers that in secret he listened to all of their messages before going back upstairs to the house. He wanted as much time with Bruce as possible. But now, Dick didn't know if he did the right thing by telling Jason he had a message – didn't know whether he set him on a path to redemption or on a path straight to hell. Dick wanted to go to Jason but knew he would be pushed aside and ultimately Jason would be pissed that he was ever there to begin with.

Bruce's image continued as Jason, still on the floor, cried out.

"_But it's not too late for you to get the proper healing you never received, it's not too late for me to help you. It's time for you to stop what you're doing. Alfred knows of a brilliant doctor who-"_

"ENOUGH!" Jason rose to grab the first thing he could - a bat-a-rang - and threw it at the hologram of Bruce. It flew straight through the image and embedded itself into the wall behind it.

"AAAHHH!" Jason screamed in emotional pain and frustration as he punched the computer board as hard as he could before sinking back to the floor. The image stopped playing and turned off, casting the cave into darkness, Jason's cries and screams the only thing echoing off the cave walls.

The watching pair of eyes closed.

Hell it is, then.


End file.
